HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

William Graham PONDER, b. 23 Oct 1803 in Camden Co., Ga. m. Elizabeth HADLEY 5 Nov 1829 in Leon Co., FL. William was the son of Hezekiah PONDER and Ann GRAHAM. Elizabeth HADLEY was thedaughter Simon HADLEY and Jane WILKINSON. In the 1850 Thomas Co., GA. Census William and Elizabeth are listed with their children Amanda, James, Ellen, Thomas and William. I'm interested in corresponding with anyone that may be related to this family.

Re: HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

My ancestor Wesley Forbes married William Graham Ponder's sister (see below) in Leon, FL, in 1837. I am very interested in the fact that your William Ponder was in Thomas Co in 1850 because I have been trying to discover the connections to Thomas Co at that time. Two of Wesley Forbes' grandchildren, Wesley Berryan Mills and Lucy Forbes Mills, were also on the 1850 Thomas Co Census in school, boarding with Methodist Episcopal minister Peyton P. Smith (months later they were also included on the Dec 1850 Leon, FL, Census). Their sister, my great grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Mills, was born in Thomas Co, GA, in 1845, a few months after her father died in Early Co, GA. What I believe is their uncle Wesley Forbes married Ann Everitt in Thomas Co, GA, in 1852 (see below).

Your post has provided me with a connection to Thomas Co through William Graham Ponder. I am interested in locating other connections. I am also related to the Bonnells through these families as are the Ponders. Catherine Elizabeth Mills married Allen William Bryan, whose grandparents were Henry and Honora Bonnell Bryan. Honora's parents were Anthony and Mary Ann Mills Bonnell of Screven Co, GA.

1849: From Marriage and Death Notices Southern Christian Advocate by Holcombe –8/31/1849 Issue -Died 25th of July – Mrs. Elizabeth Forbes, consort of Rev. Wesley Forbes and daughter of Hezekiah and Ann Ponder and formerly of Camden Co. Georgia in the 44th year of her age.

• Sharp & Hickman 1-24-2005Entries: 2899 Updated: 2005-01-24 11:06:47 UTC (Mon) Contact: Judy Hickman, The following notes are from John Davis of Abilene, TX, and were originallyprovided by James Reddick of Fairfax, SC:.

" Hezekiah and Ann Graham PONDER lived in Camden Co., GA, until 1824 when he bought land in Leon Co., FL near the GA line. The land was claimed by bothsides. His plantation was known as "Incochee,", now called "Foshalee."Foshalee is presently owned by Mr. Irland and contains two PONDER cemeteries. Hezekiah and Ann are buried in the one nearest Highway 319 and the FL state line. The other is close to Metcalf Road and old Sunny Hill plantation.

• Thomas County, GA census pp 52-53 28 Oct 1850 Wesley B. Mills and Lucy F. Mills Boarding (school) in the home of Peyton P SmithThis is assuredly Thomas and Eliza Jane Forbes Mills’ Wesley B and Lucy F Mills, b. FL although Wesley’s age is slightly off. Both children are reported on the Dec 1850 Leon Co, FL census p 68, but since the census was taken in Dec in Leon they could have been at home when it was taken; thus, they appear on two census reports. Wesley is listed as a student on the one in Leon. The time lapse can also explain the difference in Wesley’s age. Lucy in Thomasville is 12 but on the Florida report she is 13.

Re: HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

Gleaned from a listing of the Leon Co, Fl land purchases listed in the West Florida Reconstructed Tract Books (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/3010/indexd-f.htm), I have grouped the following according to who purchased land in proximity to each other and by date: The earliest purchases were by William Ponder, Thomas Mills (Wesley Forbes's son-in-law and my great+ grandfather who married Eliza Jane Forbes), and Hardy Bryan (Thomas' daughter married an Alabama Bryan) followed within two years by Archibald Mills (Thomas' brother) and Richard Parish. Hezekiah Ponder and Wesley Forbes purchased in 1829 and 1830.

Re: HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

I have a complete copy of the Marriage Records of Leon Co., FL 1937, collected by the Florida DAR, and the 5 Nov 1829 married of William Ponders (spelled as is on the transcription) was to Elizabeth Copland not Elizabeth Hadley.

Re: HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

The William G Ponder (d. 1867)who married Elizabeth Copeland (d. 1871) in Leon, FL, is buried along with Elizabeth in the Ponder Copeland Brown cemetery in Leon, Co, FL, off highway 319, adjoining what was Foshalee Plantation. Buried also are Elizabeth's father Robert Copeland, Sr, (d. 1828), Thomas J Ponder (d.1861, age 23), George W. Brown Sr, (d.1861, age 43) and Sarah A Brown (d. 1879, age 79). Also buried here is George W. Brown, Jr., died childhood, age 5.

I have copies of original transcriptions if you will give me an email address to send them.

Re: HADLEY, PONDER, GRAHAM

Thank you. I had found this information in the meantime. I also have the burial listings for the Hezekiah Ponder cemetery, but I'm on the way out and will have to post it this afternoon. That is where Elizabeth Forbes is buried, which you probably know. Again, I have copies of orginal transcriptions if anyone is interested.